Characteristics of Birch Tree Roots

Size

• Birch tree roots can expand from the trunk of the tree to a distance double the tree's height. In fact, the root system of a grown birch tree can reach up to one-third the size of a football field. As a result, if growing a birch tree, make sure your tree has plenty of room for the roots to expand. Do not plant trees near buildings or too close to other trees.

Air

• Birch tree roots require air to thrive, so the soil around the roots should not be compressed and so tight that air cannot get through it. To make sure the soil is as light and airy as possible, break it up and loosen it in the entire area of your birch tree root system. Aerating the soil also will help keep the soil loose after you have planted the birch tree and the soil becomes pressed down due to the passing of people or vehicles over it. Aerate the soil by punching deep holes in it using a garden fork to remove soil cores, which will allow more air to get to the roots. Place the holes anywhere from eight inches from the trunk of the birch tree to outside the canopy of the tree.

Temperature

• A birch tree's roots do best when they remain cool. For this reason, add mulch such as compost, grass clippings, peat moss or bark chips to the top of the roots, which will help keep in cool temperatures and moisture and shield the roots from the heat of the sun. Water the root system area whenever the soil becomes dry, about every two weeks, so that the soil becomes moist 1 1/2 feet to 2 feet down. Use a soil probe to determine the depth of the soil moisture.

Soil

• The soil in which birch tree roots lie should be well drained and feature some organic matter combined with sand. Avoid heavy clay soils, which prevent an adequate amount of air from flowing to the roots. The soil should be slightly acidic, which means the pH level -- or level of acidity and basicity -- should be between 5.0 and 6.5. Collect a sample of the soil in your birch tree growing area and take it to your county extension office to have the pH level tested.